Erica brachialis leafy stem tips

The ascending leaves of Erica brachialis grow spiralling and loosely overlapping on the whitish, stems in picture. The rolled under leaf margins are whitish, showing a little green gap of lower leaf surface between them seen from behind. These leaf margins are finely saw-toothed and bear tiny glands. Old, branching stems become woody growing erectly, the central stem reaching 3 cm in diameter near the base.

A couple of still dark green buds covered in sparse hairs are emerging, the sepals around the developing corollas, while upper bracts are not far behind. Some of the old, withered flowers in the background still retain exserted styles, thread-like and brown.

The fruits are globose, woody capsules, about 5 mm long. They persist on the plants for several years (Manning and Helme, 2024; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; Baker and Oliver, 1967; iNaturalist; www.plantzafrica.com).